On Friday at the Frozen Four, College Hockey, Inc. executive director Mike Snee will be joined by college hockey’s commissioners for a state of college hockey press conference. Follow our live coverage of the press conference below.
Metcalf: A lot of rules are being talked about. No one here on the rules committee, but it's a rule change year. Some rules, like overtime, will be discussed. A lot of discussion on the rules in general. Can it be simplified. Can some sections marry together with others.
Metcalf: We had a committee time at the FF a few years ago. We were spitballing what college hockey might look like in the future. We re-drew the map for fun. Then we left the paper somewhere on a table. We were in a state of panic someone would see it.
Snee on tweaks to the RPI/PWR: Yes, it's something we have to look at in the off season as we get into our conf. meetings later this month. There are things we have to look at. The 55/45 3-on-3 OT, road wins, maybe we encourage a higher incentive to win on the road.
Metcalf: I think the current format we have is the best format. It's not perfect, but it's the best because there are flaws in any other format. I think those flaws are greater than the format we have currently.
Fenton: We talked about (regional sites) at length this morning. We have to look at fan experience, in-arena, as well as television and streaming. The bodies accepted neutral sites. That's where our game has been and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
Kemp: The coaching body as a whole has asked for neutral sites. With host sites, there's a lot of different areas outside of just attendance. Travel on last-minute notice.
Metcalf: Earlier today a coach told me a story about being contacted by an agent of a kid who, the coach assumed was in the portal already, but he wasn't. The agent was asking if there would be a spot if he entered the portal. That happens every day, and it's not good.
Fenton: The horse has left the barn and the horses probably won't get put back in the barn. What we're hoping is we can add some guardrails on transfers. Can we protect some roster integrity year to year?
Fenton: In the NCAA world, we're in a challenging environment. We're in a litigious society. The fact is, the courts have said that our business model as we've known it for many years is not going to work. The restriction on transfers that we saw with the five sports, that's not going to be the same moving forward. The rule changed.
Kemp asked how many teams needed before they expand the program: We'd need significantly more growth. I remember back when it was eight. We're happy with 16, but we'd love to see it expand.
Kemp: The off day in the regionals was very well received. Last year after the 5OT that Duluth and North Dakota, it opened everyone's eyes to the recovery time.
Snee on expansion: It's exciting how much expansion we've seen and some other schools that are considering it. It starts with the support we're getting from the NHL and NHLPA. They have paid for feasibility studies. I have to be frank, I thought we wouldn't come out of COVID as well as it seems we have. The number of schools interested - and we have a couple of them here this weekend - most of them choose to do it in a quiet way, but you have to trust me, there are schools seriously looking into this.
Metcalf: The landscape is super competitive. You get to the end of the year an there are an increasing number of teams that can win the whole thing. That's true this year. The difference between 1 and 10 as well as 2 and 17 is smaller and smaller.
Fenton: Hockey East has done a terrific job putting on this Frozen Four. It's been a while since we've been in an event setting like this. It's a great experience. To be back in the venue, in a full building yesterday, was special.
Welcome to the live coverage of the "state of college hockey" ... I'll provide updates and quotes during the press conference once it starts at 1:30 p.m. ET.
OK, it's wrapped up. So that's all for the live coverage today. Thanks for checking in!
Metcalf: A lot of rules are being talked about. No one here on the rules committee, but it's a rule change year. Some rules, like overtime, will be discussed. A lot of discussion on the rules in general. Can it be simplified. Can some sections marry together with others.
Metcalf: We had a committee time at the FF a few years ago. We were spitballing what college hockey might look like in the future. We re-drew the map for fun. Then we left the paper somewhere on a table. We were in a state of panic someone would see it.
Fenton: I don't know the likelihood of realignment. It's incumbent upon us to work together and understand the new institutions coming in.
Snee on tweaks to the RPI/PWR: Yes, it's something we have to look at in the off season as we get into our conf. meetings later this month. There are things we have to look at. The 55/45 3-on-3 OT, road wins, maybe we encourage a higher incentive to win on the road.
Metcalf: I think the current format we have is the best format. It's not perfect, but it's the best because there are flaws in any other format. I think those flaws are greater than the format we have currently.
Fenton: We talked about (regional sites) at length this morning. We have to look at fan experience, in-arena, as well as television and streaming. The bodies accepted neutral sites. That's where our game has been and probably will be for the foreseeable future.
Kemp: The coaching body as a whole has asked for neutral sites. With host sites, there's a lot of different areas outside of just attendance. Travel on last-minute notice.
Metcalf: Earlier today a coach told me a story about being contacted by an agent of a kid who, the coach assumed was in the portal already, but he wasn't. The agent was asking if there would be a spot if he entered the portal. That happens every day, and it's not good.
Fenton: The horse has left the barn and the horses probably won't get put back in the barn. What we're hoping is we can add some guardrails on transfers. Can we protect some roster integrity year to year?
Fenton: The number of transfers is being exasperated right now because of the fifth year due to COVID.
Fenton: In the NCAA world, we're in a challenging environment. We're in a litigious society. The fact is, the courts have said that our business model as we've known it for many years is not going to work. The restriction on transfers that we saw with the five sports, that's not going to be the same moving forward. The rule changed.
Kemp asked how many teams needed before they expand the program: We'd need significantly more growth. I remember back when it was eight. We're happy with 16, but we'd love to see it expand.
Kemp: The off day in the regionals was very well received. Last year after the 5OT that Duluth and North Dakota, it opened everyone's eyes to the recovery time.
Snee on expansion: It's exciting how much expansion we've seen and some other schools that are considering it. It starts with the support we're getting from the NHL and NHLPA. They have paid for feasibility studies. I have to be frank, I thought we wouldn't come out of COVID as well as it seems we have. The number of schools interested - and we have a couple of them here this weekend - most of them choose to do it in a quiet way, but you have to trust me, there are schools seriously looking into this.
Metcalf: The landscape is super competitive. You get to the end of the year an there are an increasing number of teams that can win the whole thing. That's true this year. The difference between 1 and 10 as well as 2 and 17 is smaller and smaller.
Fenton: Hockey East has done a terrific job putting on this Frozen Four. It's been a while since we've been in an event setting like this. It's a great experience. To be back in the venue, in a full building yesterday, was special.
The parties are assembled and we're about to begin.
Welcome to the live coverage of the "state of college hockey" ... I'll provide updates and quotes during the press conference once it starts at 1:30 p.m. ET.